Coin segregation box for coin operated fluid dispensing devices



Feb. 16, 1965 v. w. WEST COIN SEGREGATION BOX FOR COIN OPERATED FLUID DISPENSING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 7, 1963 INVENTOR. I/em W Vlsf Feb. 16, 1965 Filed Jan. 7, 1963 v. w. WEST 3,

COIN SEGREGATION BOX FOR COIN OPERATED FLUID DISPENSING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ACCUMULATOR INVENTOR,

Vern W V1495) United States Patent "ice 3,169,622 COHN SEGZREGA'IIQN BGX FDR CQEN OPERATED FLUID ElSEENSlNG DEVTCES Vern W. West, Fort Collins, (3010., assignor to Pat Grifin, Fort Collins, Colo. Filed Jan. 7, 1963, 'Ser. No. 249,692 4 Claims. (Cl. 194-3) This invention relates to improvements in coin controlled apparatus for dispensing liquids, such as, gasoline, fuel oil and the like.

In coin controlled dispensing apparatus and particularly apparatus dispensing liquids such as, gasoline, fuel oil and the like, the coins deposited in the coin slots of the apparatus usually drop to a common collector such as the bottom of the coin casing and intermingle with the previously deposited coins. Frequently, a customer will dispute the quantity of gasoline delivered at the termination of a dispensing operation. Vfhen such a dispute occurs the number and amount of coins deposited in the coin slots cannot be checked with the quantity of gasoline delivered without counting all of the coins deposited and checking these coins with the amount of gasoline delivered for the period since the coins were last withdrawn from the coin box. This may be a time consuming operation and is a distinct disadvantage and many times results in a settlement with a customer in which the customer may obtain more gasoline than paid for.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a collector for the coins deposited for each dispensing operation which holds the coins separately until the dispensing operation has been completed and the apparatus is reset into condition to eifect a next succeeding dispensing operation.

Another object of the inventionisto provide a box for receiving the deposited coins of a coin controlled fluid dispensing device, and holding the coins from intermingling with the previously deposited coins, and only intermingling with the coins of the previously deposited coins upon resetting of the dispensing device.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a coin collecting box for holding the coins of a coin controlled dispensing apparatus separately when deposited, to measure the quantity of gasoline to be dispensed, in which the coin collecting box is interconnected with the resetting mechanism for the gasoline pump, resetting the pump dials to zero, and is actuated by the resetting mechanism to intermingle the coins deposited for a single dispensing operation with the previously deposited coins, as the computer pump dials are reset to zero.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of a coin controlled gasoline dispensing apparatus looking at the coin box side or" the apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 11-11 of FEGURE l, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts removed;

FEGURE 3 is a top plan view'of the coin collecting and separating box; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 1VIV of FIGURE 3, with the coin collecting and separating box in its open position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, 1 have shown in FIGURE 1 the coin box end of a conventional computer pump 1-3, controlled by a coin actuated control, contained withina coin casing 11 attached to one end of said computer pump. The com- 31%,622 Patented Feb. 16, 1965 puter pump 1% is connected with a source of supply of gasoline, which is customarily buried in the ground below the pump, and the quantity of gasoline delivered by the pump is measured by coins deposited in coin slots 12 and 13 in a door 15 for the casing 11. The casing 11 is preferably formed as a box-like unit having comparatively heavy walls with a solid lock for the door, to render it difficult folthe door to be opened, or the case or door to be broken into by pilferers.

The coin control within the casing 11 is no part of the present invention so need only be described generally herein and includes a coin receiving impulse apparatus 16 and an accumulator l7 diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 2. The accumulator 17 operates responsive to impulses of the coin receiving apparatus to select a quantity of gasoline to be delivered in accordance with the coins deposited in the coin slots 12 and 13 and also operates responsive to movement of the computer pump, to terminate the delivery of gasoline when a coin selected quantity of gasoline has been delivered, as shown and described in my application Serial No. 236,245 filed November 8, 1962 and entitled Coin Controlled Gasoline Dispenser so not herein shown or described further.

As generally shown in FIGURE 2, a coin receiving apparatus indicated by reference character 19 is mounted on the door 15 and extends inwardly therefrom. The coin slots 12 and 13 may receive two ditlerent values of coins, such as, a fifty cent piece insertable in the slots 12 and the silver dollar insertable in the slot 13. The coins deposited in the coin slots drop through a guide chute structure 21 through conventional selectors '(not shown) carried by the coin receiving apparatus 19, which permit true coins to move to the outer corners of the selectors and counterfeit or defective coins to move to the inner corners of the selectors. A coin return trough 22 is mounted on the door 35 to receive and return defective coins.

The coins dropped from the selectors into the im-- pulser 16. project a thrust bar 23 at selective increments of distance proportioned to the value of the coin deposited, to set the accumulator 1'7 to measure the delivery of a quantity of gasoline selected in accordance with the value of the coin deposited as shown and described in my prior application Serial No. 236,245, so not shown or described in detail herein.

The impulser 16 is mounted on a support frame structure 24 mounted on a side wall 25 of the coin casing 11 and extending inwardly of said side Wall within said coin casing. A trough structure 27 extends upwardly from the frame structure 24 into close proximity to the selector l9 and in alignment therewith to receive coins dropped from said selector structure. The troughstructure 27 includes individual troughs (not shown) for each value of coin. These troughs each arch over a knurled roller 2? driven by a coin motor (not shown) in a suitable manner. The trough structure 27 guides and retains the coins to be engaged by the coin roller 29 and to be moved by said coin roller under fingers 39 extending within the individual troughs of the trough structure.

Each finger 30 is mounted on a horizontal shaft 31 and is lifted by a coin set as it is passed therebeneath by the coin roller 29, a distance proportional to'the value of the particular coin passing through the associated trough. The horizontal shaft 31 is suitably journalled in the frame structure 24 to be rocked by either of the fingers 39. A lever 32 suitably secured to the shaft 31 and extending inwardly therefrom along the frame structure24 has the thrust bar 23 pivoted to its end.

A coin segregating and collecting box 33, for separating the coins deposited to elfect a single dispensing operation and holding the coins from the intermingling with the aieaaae 3 7 previously deposited coins until the termination of the dispensing operation, is shown in FIGURE 2 as being mounted on the frame structure 24 beneath the knurled coin roller 29 and coin trough structure 27, to receive the coins dropping from said coin trough structure as the coins have actuated the fingers 30 to set the accumulator 17.

The coin collecting and segregating box 33, as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, has an end wall connected to a wall 36 of the support frame structure 24, and depending therefrom. The coin segregating and collecting box 33 also has an opposite wall 37 adjacent an inner end wall 39 of the coin box 11 having an outturned or flanged upper end portion 40 resting on a horizontal ledge 41 extending inwardly of the wall 39. A retainer flange 42 is spaced beneath the flange 4i and horizontal ledge 41, and with the flange 40 forms in etfect a retaining slot extending along the horizontal ledge 41. The retainer flange 42 is shown in FIGURE 2 as being the horizontal leg of an angle member 44 extending along the wall 37 and suitably secured thereto.

The segregating and collecting box 33 also has parallel spaced side walls 45 having flanged or outturned opposite end portions 48 extending vertically along the walls 35 and 37 and riveted or otherwise secured thereto.

The coin collecting and separating box 33 also has a drop bottom 46 in the form of two bottom plates 47 pivoted adjacent their outer end portions to the end walls 35 and 37 and terminating at the longitudinal center of the coin separating and collecting box (FIGURE 3).

Each bottom plate 47 has opposite downturned or flanged end portions extending along the front rear Walls 35 and 37 and pivotally connected thereto on pivot pins 49 extending through the, walls 35 and 37 adjacent the outer sides thereof. The pivot pins 49 may be in the form of rods or stiff wires bent at their ends to extend along the outsides of the plates 35 and 37 to be retained in position on said plates.

A means is provided under the control of a reset crank 50 for the dials of the computer pump, for holding the bottom plates 47 of the drop bottom 46 in their closed positions when the dials of the computer pump have been set and for dropping or pivoting the bottom plates 47, 47 when the computer dials are being reset to initiate a next succeeding dispensing operation, which, as herein shown, includes a crank pin 51 on a cam disk 53 suitably secured to the inner end of a reset shaft 54, for resetting the dials of the computer meter to zero. The cam disk 53 also serves to prevent operation of the pump motor (not shown) of the gasoline pump 10 until the dials of the computer meter are set to zero and further serves to prevent operation of the coin motor until the computer meter dials are reset to zero. The cam disk 53 and reset shaft 54 are driven from the reset crank 59 by a chain and sprocket drive 55. The crank 50 is on the outer end of a shaft 56 journalled in bearing supports 57 mounted on and projecting upwardly from the top of the coin casing 11. A sprocket 59 of the chain sprocket drive is suitably secured to said shaft 56 and driven therefrom upon turning of the hand crank 50.

The crank pin 51 has a link 61 pivotally connected thereto and depending therefrom and pivotally connected 7 at its lower end to an upright arm 62, secured to and extending upwardly of a bottom plate 47, adjacent the upper end portion of said arm. A pivot pin 63 serves to pivotally connect the link 61 to the arm 62. The arm 62 has an upper end portion 65 extending over the next adjacent bottom plate 47 and having a link 66 pivotally connected thereto on a pivot pin 67. I The link 66 depends from the arm portion 65 and is connected at its lower' end to an upright connector 69 on a pivot pin 70. The connector 69 is secured to the associated bottom plate 47 in general alignment with the arm 62 on the next adjacent bottom plate 47. I

When the computer meter dials have been reset to zero, the cam disk 53 and crank pin 51 will be in the position shown in FIGURE 2, and the link 61 connected between said crank pin and the arm 62 will hold the bottom plates 47 in their closed positions to collect coins passing from the trough structure 27, as the coins actuate the fingers 30, to set the accumulator.

At the termination of a dispensing operation, as selected by the coins deposited in the coin slots 12 and 13, if there should be any dispute about the quantity of gasoline delivered in accordance with the coins deposited in the coin slots, the coin door 15 can be opened and the coins deposited in the slots will be segregated and collected in the segregating and collecting box 33. The segregated coins can then be checked to determine whether the correct quantity of gasoline has been delivered.

Each time, however, the computer'meter dials reset to zero by operation of the hand crank 50 rotatably driving the reset shaft 54, the cam disk 33 will be rotatably driven to move the crank pin 51 downwardly and exert pressure on the arm 62 and link 65 and thereby pivot the bottom plates 47 about the axes of the pivot pins 49, 49 and accommodate the coins collected to drop and mingle with the coins previously deposited.

Thus, after each dispensing operation, the coins deposited to select the quantity of gasoline to be delivered are held separate from the coins previously deposited and are readily accessible for checking, to determine whether the correct quantity of gasoline has been delivered in accordance with the coins deposited. Each time, however, another customer resets the computer meter dials to zero, to condition the apparatus for depositing coins in the coin slots, the drop bottom 46 of the coin separating and collecting box 33 will open, to clear the box of coins deposited in the preceding dispensing operation, and wiil then be closed as the dials are reset to zero. The device of the invention, therefore, assures the segregation of the coins for each dispensing operation until the initiation of a next succeeding dispensing operation, when the coins may be intermingled with the coins previously deposited.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it may readily be understood that various variations and modifications in the invention may be attained without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a coin controlled dispensnig apparatus, a coin slot, a coin chute in communication with said coin slot, an impulser in communication with said coin chute along which the coins pass to instigate a measuring operation of a quantity of liquid to be dispensed, means conditioning the apparatus to dispense preselected quantities of liquid, and means for collecting and segregating the coins deposited for each individual dispensing operation and retaining the coins segregated until the conditioning of the apparatus for a next succeeding dispensing operation comprising a coin collecting and segregating box having a drop bottom, and a link pivotally connected from said conditioning means to said bottom, retaining said bottom in a closed position when the mechanism is in condition to receive coins and holding said bottom in a closed condition during the dispensing of a selected quantity of liquid, and dropping said bottom to accommodate the coins segregated to intermingle with the previously deposited coinsupon'resetting the apparatus for a next succeeding operation.

2. In a coin controlled dispensing apparatus for gasoline and the like, a coin chute, a coin slot in communication with said chute, an impulser beneath said chute and in communication therewith, means operated by the coins passing along said impulser to determine a quantity of gasoline to be dispensed in accordance with the value of the coins deposited in said coin slot, means resetting the apparatus at the initiation of a coin depositing operation including a crank pin rotatable during a resetting operation, a coin collecting and segregating box beneath said impulser in coin collecting relation with respect thereto, said box having at least one pivoted bottom plate, a link connecting said crank pin with said bottom plate for holding said bottom plate in a coin collecting position when the apparatus has been reset and for pivoting said bottom plate downwardly to release coins therefrom upon resetting of the apparatus.

3. In a coin controlled dispensing apparatus for gasoline and the like, a coin chute, a coin slot in communication with said chute, an impulser beneath said chute and in communication therewith, means operated by the coins passing along said impulser to determine a quantity of gasoline to be dispensed in accordance with the value of the coins deposited in said coin slot, means resetting the apparatus at the initiation of a coin depositing operation including a crank pin rotatable during a resetting operation, a coin collecting and segregating box supported beneath said impulser in coin receiving relation with respect thereto and having adjacent bottom plates pivoted thereto adjacent opposite sides thereof, a link and in communication therewith, means operated by the coins passing along said impulser to determine a quantity of gasoline to be dispensed in accordance with the value of the coins deposited in said coin slot, means resetting the apparatus at the initiation of a coin depositing operation including a crank pin rotatable during a resetting operation, a coin collecting and segregating box supported beneath said impulser in coin receiving relation with respect thereto and having side walls, parallel spaced end walls and a drop bottom between said end walls and pivoted thereto, said drop bottom comprising two adjacent bottom plates, pivot pins pivotally mounting said bottom plates on said end walls adjacent said side walls, an arm secured to and extending upwardly or" one bottom plate and over the next adjacent bottom plate, a link connecting said arm to the next adjacent bottom plate, and an actuating link connected between said arm and said crank pin holding said bottom plates in closed coin segregating positions when the dispensing apparatus is set and dropping said bottom plates downwardly about said pivot pins during rotation of said crank pin as the apparatus is being reset to effect a next succeeding dispensing operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 928,188 Ellis July 13, 1909 1,838,317 Marchioni Dec. 29, 1931 1,932,234 Sengebusch Oct. 24, 1933 2,995,229 West Aug. 18, 1961 

1. IN A COIN CONTROLLED DISPENSING APPARATUS, A COIN SLOT, A COIN CHUTE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID COIN SLOT, AN IMPLUSER IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID COIN CHUTE ALONG WHICH THE COINS PASS TO INSTIGATE A MEASURING OPERATION OF A QUANTITY OF LIQUID TO BE DISPENSED, MEANS CONDITIONING THE APPARATUS TO DISPENSE PRESELECTED QUANTITIES OF LIQUID AND MEANS FOR COLLECTING AND SEGRATING THE COINS DEPOSITE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL DISPENSING OPERATION AND RETAINING THE COINS SEGREGATED UNTIL THE CONDITIONING OF THE APPARATUS FOR A NEXT SUCCEEDING DISPENSING OPERATION COMPRISING A COIN COLLECTING AND SEGREGATING BOX HAVING A DROP BOTTOM, AND A LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED FROM SAID COMDITIONING MEANS TO SAID BOTTOM, RETAINING SAID BOTTOM IN A CLOSED POSITION WHEN THE MECHANISM IS IN CONDITION TO RECEIVE COINS AND HOLDING SAID BOTTOM IN A CLOSED CONDITION DURING THE DISPENSING OF A SELECTED QUANTITY OF LIQUID, AND DROPPING SAID BOTTOM TO ACCOMMODATE THE COINS SEGREGATED TO INTERMINGLE WITH THE PREVIOUSLY DEPOSITED COINS UPON RESETTING THE APPARATUS FOR A NEXT SUCCEEDING OPERATION. 